Deltana Community Human Services Partnership Project Meeting Minutes
December 4, 2008
Recorded by Katie Charlie - Community Liaison
Attendance:
Attendance and Introductions:
Ted Sponsel, Project Consultant
Deborah Hayes, Project Director
Joe Brokus, Concerned Resident
Barbara Flynn, Concerned Resident
David Flynn, Concerned Resident
Katie Charlie, Community Liaison
Tammy Trulove, Concerned Resident
Shawn Trulove, Concerned Resident
Rachelle Hill, Public Health Nurse
Elias Barnes, Ft. Greely Drug & Alcohol
Cathie Green, Ft. Greely Drug & Alcohol
John Lewis, Kiwanis
Deborah Snyder, Adult Learning Programs of Alaska
Oakley Lowe, Big Brothers/Big Sisters
Kenneth Farrow, Alpha Omega
Paul Knopp, Deltana Community Corporation
Cherise Kron, New to Community
Vera Gorbon, Catholic Social Services
Tana Walker, Concerned Resident
Deborah Green, Concerned Resident
Mary Dowling, Mayor
Cari Loftis, Delta Wind Reporter
Deborah introduced agenda followed by brief review of November 8th Planning Meeting results. Passed out new survey results and the survey information handouts used at the Planning Meeting.
Alpha Omega received grant and was acknowledged for their continued efforts in providing services to the community.
Deborah introduced Arctic Alliance which consists of 75 groups in the Interior of Alaska. She suggested that we enroll our group. Deborah serves as the Treasurer/Secretary and will represent our group at the Interior Delegation meeting. The meetings are held the 1st Wednesday of the month and there will be a presentation from the Interior Delegation about how to produce capital projects at the January meeting.
John paused discussion for a motion to include our group with Arctic Alliance. Deborah explained that to date we do not have elected officials and we have been using the majority vote of members at meetings to make decisions.
Ted said that we would review procedures on how we would like to be formalized later in the meeting.
Tammy Trulove was introduced. Tammy and her husband Shawn used to be Youth Pastors and both grew up here in Delta. Their vision and dream is to establish a Youth Center for kids and young adults.
They are in process of buying the warehouse that is located behind the Steakhouse. It needs major renovations and totals about 15,000 square feet. Three sections are identified. Roughly 2,500-3,000 sq. ft. will be dedicated to the Youth Center. Additional space may be constructed later if needed. The middle is where Tammy and Shawn will live and the third space is dedicated to an auto shop that will work collaboratively with the Delta High School auto shop program.
She envisions that the State based Youth Center would target youth that do not have healthy relations. It would be like a mentoring project where youth have a safe place to go to in hopes that healthy relationships will prevail. They do not intend in any way to preach or push their religion (which is non-denominational) on any participant. They do not intend to recruit youth for their church. However, they plan to offer Rock and Rap Christian Music for listening.
Deborah Snyder asked if this involves just the youth because a need has been identified for a family recreation center. Tammy said that this project targets only youth for developing healthy relationships because they may not have them at home.
Tammy was asked how the Youth Center will be funded. Tammy and Shawn have recently identified grant opportunities and people who may partner with them to achieve this goal. She does not know the exact timeline because they are unsure of the funding sources. They originally thought it would be developed through private interests, but now they are considering grants.
Ted mentioned the Asset Based Community Development scenario and that this is a perfect example of how to use that process to create this Youth Center.
There was a suggestion to join the Arctic Alliance. There was unanimous approval to join. There is a $25 annual fee to join, and people can opt to be put on the list serve (email) to receive updates about agency events and information on volunteering. A sheet was passed around so that people could join the list serve.
Deborah commented that she appreciates the easiness of voting in this manner and that maybe it would be simpler to not elect officials and organize.
Ted verified with Vera that the votes in each category of the new survey results were accurate and she confirmed they were.
Deborah asked Ted how the new survey results are similar to what we concluded were the top priorities or needs of the community identified at the Planning Meeting. Ted said that this was his attempt to combine things. For example, medical includes pharmacy and specialty clinics for children.
Joe suggested that we should establish a governing group and then move on because it seems like we are repeating what we did at the Planning Meeting.
Ted said that the grant that we received asks us for a plan so getting the priorities and the process identified is important to the grantors who review what we have done. It is tedious work, but it needs to be done.
Ken suggested that we vote to become a non-profit and begin using the Roberts Rules of Order and that we should establish a board. A vote was put to the membership to discuss this issue now instead of waiting and a little over half of the participants in the room raised their hands. There were no objections to not discussing it at this time.
Ted continued by talking about by-laws, officers, Roberts Rules of Order, and other details that entail a non-profit. Generally groups start out as an Hoc group and are not recognized by the State of Alaska. The group can elect temporary officers until incorporation and then have a re-election.
Ken is in favor of governing ourselves and forming the non-profit. He says it takes longer to get recognized by the Feds, but that the State recognition process is relatively quick. We can go into the business of establishing by-laws after State recognition while we wait for federal recognition.
Deborah mentioned that the Arctic Alliance uses Roberts Rules of Order, but that they are unorganized. It is one option of formation instead of forming a non-profit. But they cannot receive grant money; they are only a voice.
Paul said that the Delta Regional Economic Development Council (DREDC) is already established but inactive at this time. Steve Fields is acting President. We may adopt their by-laws and jump right in as another option. David said another benefit would be that we could adopt their history and continue to move forward with a good record. Plus, we would be able to receive grant money and have a say over the program.
Katie spoke up and thought that we were jumping ahead too fast. That Ted had outlined a timetable in a prior meeting and we were skipping processes. She suggested that we slow down and not decide anything at this meeting before letting the rest of the membership that has been involved in this project a chance to comment.
Ken says that we can get a ground level organization going by becoming a non-profit. He thinks that we are moving too slow because we are not yet formalized. He suggests moving forward now with an advisory council, but do research first about adopting the DREDC and finding out what it will take for DCHSPP to become a non-profit.
Ted suggested that an oversight committee should be formed to research the incorporation process and its benefits while the survey date is being analyzed. This committee should take all data, put in summary form, and make recommendations to the group at the next general meeting so that we can organize. We should notify members of both alternatives (form non-profit or adopt DREDC) and discuss at next meeting.
Temporary oversight committee members are Paul Knopp, Ken Farrow, Kathy Green, Barbara Flynn, and Deborah Snyder with Deborah Hayes as the facilitator. She will contact members and set up the first meeting. To be incorporated the non-profit needs a President, Vice President, and Secretary/Treasure. (Minimum 3 positions) Nominations will be accepted by the temporary oversight committee and elections will be held at next meeting. Katie was nominated as Secretary/Treasurer at this time and she accepted the nomination. Deborah Hayes can be contacted by email at
dhayes@nwresource.org and by phone at 907-479-7307 to nominate a person for a position prior to the next meeting which will be Monday January 5, 2009 at City Hall at 5 pm.
Meeting adjourned at 6:30 pm.
To the Johnson Family: Butch, Nancy, Rodney, Toni, David, Lou, Mark, DC and his family.
On a recent trip home from Anchorage, this lynx allowed the photographer to photograph him from a very close distance. The lynx appeared bored after several minutes of being photographed and showed his true feelings by yawning. Images by Dwight Phillips
